Java

World-heritage site Borobudur is a must for every tourist visiting Java. It is a uniquely-built ultra large Mandala-shaped temple, now carefully restored in perfect condition. Borobudur is an ensemble of Buddhist art with 2672 relief panels and hundreds of Buddha statues.

Candi Mendut

Built around early ninth century AD, Candi Mendut is the oldest of the three temples including Pawon and Borobudur. According to the Karangtengah inscription, the temple was built and finished during the reign of King Indra of Sailendra dynasty.

The still standing temple was originally merely one building in a large temple complex that was surrounded by a brick wall. However, only fragments of a few memorial stupas are left from all the other buildings. Candi Mendut appears to have a flat rooftop, but this is merely the result of an incomplete restoration.

Candi Pawon

Pawon is connected with the Borobudur and Mendut, all of which were built during the Sailendra dynasty (8th–9th centuries) The temple slightly faces northwest and stands on a square base. Because of its relative simplicity, symmetry and harmony, the historians dubbed this small temple as "the jewel of Javanese temple architecture", in contrast with tall-slender East Javanese style counterparts as founds in later Singhasari and Majapahit period.

Prambanan temple compound is the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia, dedicated to the Trimurti, the expression of God as the Creator (Brahma), the Sustainer (Vishnu) and the Destroyer (Shiva). It was added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1991.

Candi Sewu is the second largest Buddhist Temple in Central Java after Borobudur. The temple complex follows the Mandala pattern with the main entrance located on the east side. Each of the entrances were guarded by twin Dvarapala statues.

Candi Sewu is located within the area of the Prambanan temple complex, around 800 meters north of it. The proximity of the Hindu temples of Prambanan suggests that Hindus and Buddhist lived in harmony when the temples were built. The easiest and fastest way to get to the temple is by the Prambanan temple train.

Candi Plaosan, also known as the 'Plaosan Complex', is one of the Buddhist temples located in Bugisan village, Prambanan district. The 9th century Plaosan complex is an ensemble of two Buddhist temples, Plaosan Lor and Plaosan Kidul out of which Plaosan Lor is much more significant.

Many of the buildings have inscriptions, two of them denote the temple as a gift of sanctuary by Rakai Pikatan. The dates of the inscriptions are between 825-850 AD. Although similar to the Prambanan 856 AD date, the complexes are not related.

Candi Sari is located about 130 meters north east from Kalasan temple. It is strongly suggested that the original function of this building was a monastery (vihara) . Historians believe that this temple was built around the same time as Candi Kalasan. According to an inscription dated 778 AD, Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran was persuaded by a guru to erect a temple (Candi Kalasan) devoted to goddess Tara with a buddhist monastery.

Candi Kalasan (Candi Kalibening) is an 8th century Buddhist temple located 13 km east of Yogyakarta on the way to Prambanan temple. According to an inscription dated 778 AD, Kalasan temple is the oldest among temples built in the vicinity of Prambanan. The inscription says that Maharaja Tejapurnapana Panangkaran was persuaded by a guru to erect a temple devoted to goddess Tara with a buddhist monastery. This monastery might be the nearby located Candi Sari.

The word Kraton (or Keraton) originates from the word ke-ratu-an that means in Indonesian the place where the queen/king lives. It has a broad meaning, all royal palaces were denoted with this name.

The principal residence of the sultan of Yogyakarta is the palace (Kraton) occupying the center of the town.The enormous building was added to the tentative list of World Heritage Sites. The palace complex consists of large courtyards and pavilions. Some of the buildings are open to the public, these contain exhibitions showing gifts of European kings, funishing items , replicas of the treasures of the palace and personal belongings of the sultans.

Taman Sari also known as Water Castle is a former royal garden of the Sultanate of Yogyakarta located 2 km south within the grounds of the Kraton (palace complex). Its name means an area of a beautiful garden adorned with flowers. Since 1995 the Yogyakarta Palace Complex including Taman Sari is listed as a tentative World Heritage Site.

The word means "circle" in Sanskrit. Mandalas are concentric diagrams that have a spiritual and ritual significance in both Buddhism and Hinduism. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts, as a spiritual teaching tool, for establishing a sacred space, and as an aid to meditation and trance induction.

Dvarapala

Door or gate guardian statue, usually in pairs. They are to be found in front of gates of palaces and temples in South-East Asia.

Vihara

Vihara is the Sanskrit term for a Buddhist monastery. It originally meant "a secluded place in which to walk", and referred to "dwellings" or "refuges" used by wandering monks during the rainy season. The northern Indian state of Bihar derives its name from the word "vihara".

Tara

Tara is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.

Tara

Tara is a female Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism who appears as a female Buddha in Vajrayana Buddhism. She is known as the "mother of liberation", and represents the virtues of success in work and achievements.